Control mechanism



Oct. l5, 1940. E. c. MUELLER 2,217,845

CONTROL IIECHANISM Filed April 19, 1937 s muets-sheet 1- Oct. 15, 1940. Ei c. MUELLER CONTROL HECHANISM Filed April 19, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct 15, 1940. E. c. MUELLER 211845 CONTROL IEGHANISM Filed April 19, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 15,

PATENT LoFi-ica CONTROL DIECHANISM Emil C. Mueller, Chicago, Ill., asaignor to Ellie John Gabel Manufacturingl Company, Chicago,

lll., a corporation of Illinois y Application April 19, 1937, Serial No. 137,723

z 7 (CL 194-9) This invention relates to mechanisms for controlling automatically operable devices such as automatic phonographs and other forms of vending apparatus. 'I'he mechanism is particularly designed for coin controlling automatic phonographs, but it will be understood that it may be adapted to other similar uses.

The main objects of the invention are to provide a mechanism which will ailord a predeter- 10 mined range of selection as to the goods to vended, for example, a selection otthe number of selections to be played on an automatic phonograph; to provide mechanism wherebycoins of different values may be employed for aecting predetermined operation of the mechanism controlled; to provide mechanism in which a plurality of coins oi' the same denomination or of difierent denominations may be successively deposited to effect successive operation of the control mechanism in accordance with the value of all of the coins deposited; to provide mechanism for the purpose indicated which is o f durable but simple construction and which will be eillcient in operation; and in general itis the object of the invention to provide an improved control mechanism of the type indicated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawings (three sheets) wherein there is illustrated coin control mechanism particularly designed for controllingA an automatic phonograph.

In the drawings; Figure 1 is an elevation. Figure 2 is a section on the line 2`2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a fragmentary view corresponding to a portion of Figure 1 and showing one portion of the mechanism for effecting predetermined operation of the controlled mechanism. 44() Figures 4 and 5 are fragmentary views showing a portion of the mechanism shown in Figure 1, which is operative to secure a more extended or different operation of the controlled mechanism,4

Figure 5 showing the parts of Figure 4 in a 45 changed position.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view corresponding' to a portion of Figure l, but showing certain parts in a changed position. l Figures 7 and 8 also correspond to certain por tions of Figure l, but show changed positions of a third mechanism for securing a still more extended or different operation of the controlled mechanism; and

Figure 9 is a section on the line 9--9 of Figure 65, 7.

,member il which may conveniently be made of constitute a counter-weight for maintaining the 45 penny or a dime is deposited in the nickel chute,

. Referring now to the drawings, the mechanism illustrated comprises a main frame or supporting cast metal. The member i0 has an upstanding part formed with generally vertically disposed 5 ribs il, Il which provide coin chute spaces between them. A sheet metal covering plate I2 may be secured to the member ill in any suitable manner so as to complete the coin chutes formed between the ribs Il, Il. For the purpose of this lo application the respective coin chutes may be designated Q, D and N and it may be assumed that these chutes are respectively proportioned to receive quarters, dimes, and nickels.

The upper end portion Il of the cast metal l5 frame structure Iltis preferably formed so as to provide widened mouths both lengthwise and transversely of the coin chutes for facilitating deposit of coins in said chutes. Near the upper ends of the coin chutes Q and N there are pro- 20 vided devices for ejecting coins improperly inserted into the chute. It will, oi' course, be understood that at the upper ends of the chutes, i. e., over the mouths thereof, there will be provided a cover plate having slots of proper size to permit u coins such as quarters, dimes or nickels to be passed therethrough. Such slots will prevent the insertion of nickels or quarters into the dime chute and the insertion of quarters into the nickel chute, however, they will not prevent the insertion 30 of dimes into the nickel chute or the insertion of dimes and nickels into the quarter chute.

To prevent the operation of the mechanism by means of a dime or penny inserted into the nickel chute, there is provided a lever Il pivotally sup- 83 ported on a shaft IS which iscarried by lugs i6 formed integral with the frame lmember i0. 'Ihe arm il includes a portion which extends across the chute N and through an opening Il provided in the closure plate I2. The opening Il'is of such 40 size that any coin smaller than a nickel may escape through the opening Il from the chute N. The arm Il also includes a portion which extends laterally away from the frame member I 0 so as to other arm portion in its normal transverseposition across the coin chute. In the event that a the counter-weighted arm arrangement described will operate to throw. such smaller coin out of the 50 chute N through the opening I1. If the coin is of proper size, it cannot escape through the opening II and is heavy enough to rock the weighted lever Il to displace it and permit the coin to continue its descent in the chute.

A similar counter-weighted arm I3 is provided in the chute Q, the closure plate |2 being provided with an opening |9 of such size that any coin smaller than a quarter will be discharged from that chute through said opening |9.

At its lower end, the frame member |3 is equipped with an extension provided with a hub portion 23 which is suitably bored out to rotatably receive the shaft 2| of a ratchet wheel 22. The shaft 2| in nonerotatably secured to the ratchet wheel and a coil spring 23 is disposed around the hub 23 with one end 24 of the spring anchored to the frame member |3 and its other end 25 anchored to the adjacent end of the shaft 2|. The arrangement is such that the ratchet wheel may be rotated through approximately one i'ull turn to thereby wind up the spring 23 so that the latter normally tends to cause the ratchet wheel to move in the direction indicated by the arrow 23.

The ratchet wheel is provided with a fixed stop pin 21 projecting from one face thereof and adapted to engage a stop pin 23 carried by the frame I3. The stop pins 21 and 23 are shown slightly separated in Figure 1, this being the p0- sition which they assume when the toothed wheel 22 is held in fixed position by pawl mechanism which will presently be described. The space between the stops 21 and 23 is not suiiicient to permit the ratchet wheel to be turned to the extent of one of its teeth against the force of the spring 23.

The teeth 29 of the ratchet wheel 22 are of uniform size and spacing and there is provided at one point in the periphery of the ratchet wheel a slot 30 which is adapted to receive a pawl pin 3| which, under proper circumstances, is adapted to engage the teeth 29 to turn the ratchet wheel step by step.

The pawl pin 3| is carried by a linger 32 which is pivoted as indicated at 33 on a lever 34, the latter being in turn pivotally mounted as indicated at 35 on the frame |3. The pawl nger 32 is normally urged to rock so as to cause the pin 3| to rest against an abutment 36 formed on the arm 34 by means of a spring 31 which is connected between an end extension of the finger 32 and the free end of the arm 34.

The lever 34 is provided with an arm 33 hav- ,ing a bifurcated end vformation which receives the operating lever 39 of an electric switch 43. The switch 43 is rigidly mounted on an ear 4| formed integral with the frame member i3. The arm 34 is also provided with an an end extension 42 and said end extension is formed with oppositely extending ears 43 and 44. The ear 44 is adapted to engage a stop lug 45 formed integrally with the frame member |3 and the ear 43 is adapted to receive an operating connection from a moving part of the controlled mechanism. The connection is preferably of somel iorrn which transmits upwardly directed force to the end 42 of the lever 34. But in this instance there is shown a pin 46 (Figure 6) which may be assumed to be a crank pin carried by the rotating part of the controlled mechanism and located so as to effect the desired upward movement on the end portion 42 of the lever at the proper times. A spring 41 connected between the end portion 42 of the lever 34 of the ear 4| of the frame |3 serves to yieldingly resist rocking movement of the lever 34 and to maintain it in the position illustrated in Figure l wherein a stop lug 43 formed integral with the lever engages a stop pin 49 carried by the ratchet wheel.

A pawl 53 pivoted at 52 to the main frame normally engages the teeth o! the ratchet wheel 22 to resist turning thereof under the torce oi the wound up spring 23. The pawl 53 is maintained in operative relation to the ratchet wheel teeth by means oi a spring 53, which is stretched between a nxed point of the frame member I3 and the end of the pawl 53.

In this instance, there are three relatively independent pawl-actuating mechanisms provided,

one for each of the three coin chutes. The pawl- I actuated mechanism associated with the coin chute N is best shown in Figure 3. It includes a three armed member 54 pivoted as indicated at 5l on the frame member I3. One arm 53 has lan end portion 51 bent to approximately right angles to the length of the arm and extended through slots indicated at 53 in the frame I3 and cover plate |2 so that any coin passing through the chute N will engage the end portion 51 ci the arm. The arm 53 is normally in the raised position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3, it being yieldingly maintained in that position by means oi' a spring 53 which is stretched between the iixed point in the frame |3 and a suitable point in the arm portion 33 of the three armed member. The arm 33 includes a transversely extending lip portion 3| which is nor mally located under the pawl 33 so that upon upward movement of the arm 33 (incident to the lowering of the arm 53 by a descending coin) the pawl 53 will be elevated from its normal position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3 to its full line position wherein the toothed member 22 t! released for movement induced by the spring 23. The third arm oi the member 54 is indicated at 62 and it is provided with a laterally extending end portion 33. The portion 33 constitutes a detent adapted to be engaged by one of the teeth 23 oi' the toothed member when the latter has moved, in this instance, the distance of one tooth. The pawls 53, arms 33 and arm 32 constitute in effect a form ci escapement mechanism which permits movement oi the toothed member 22 one tooth at a time.

The pawl-actuating mechanism associated with the coin chute D is best shown in Figures 4 and 5. It includes a three armed actuating member 34 pivoted as indicated at 35 on the frame part I3. One arm 33 is equipped with a laterally extending ear 61 which underlies the pawl 53 so as to be adaptedV to raise the pawl out oi engagement with the toothed wheel when properly actuated. Another arm 33 of the three armed member 54 extends under an ear 63 of an arm 13 which is pivoted as indicated at 1| on the frame part I3. The arm 13 includes a laterally extending end portion 12 which extends through suitable slots in the frame part and cover plate so as to traverse the coin chute D. When a coin descends in the chute D it engages the arm portion 12 and causes the arm 13 to swing downwardly to thereby rock the member 34 on its pivot 65. A spring 13 stretchedv between a suitable portion oi the member 34 and a point which is relatively stationary serves to yieldingly support the member 64 in its normal position as indicated in iull lines in Figure 4.

The third arm 14 of the member 34 has a detent member 15 pivoted to it as indicated at 15; the detent member is adapted to rock on the pivot between stops 11 and 13 iormed on the arm 14 and adapted to respectively engage portions of the lower edge of the detent 15. One end of the detent 15 is equipped with a laterally extending ear 19 which is adapted to be engaged by the teeth of the ratchet member 22 when the member 84 is rocked to disengage the pawl 50 from the ratchet. The other end of the detent 15 is provided with a laterally extending ear which under normal operation travels a path around a pin 8| carried by the frame member I0. A spring 82 stretched between a fixed point in the arm 14 and anv appropriate part of the detent 15 normally holds the detent 15 at the limit of its movement about the pivot 16.

When a coin is deposited in the coin chute D, the arm 10 is rocked downwardly and transmits clockwise rocking movement through its ear 69 to the member 64, whereby the arm 66 is moved upwardly to eiect disengagement of the pawl 50 yfrom the ratchet' 22 as will be apparent from an inspection of Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings. When the arm 14 moves toward the ratchet, it causes the ear 19 of the detent 15 tomove into the path of one of the teeth 29 of the ratchet wheel, ther detent assuming such position before the pawl 50 releases the ratchet wheel for movement. When the ratchet wheel is released, one of the teeth 29 of the ratchet engages the ear 19 of the detent andeiects rocking movement of the detent on its pivot 16. The extent of such rocking movement of the detent is limited by its engagement with the stop 11 so that when the de- -tent reaches that limit of movement, it serves to prevent further movement of the ratchet wheel. The impact of the coin on the operating arm 10 is, of course, only momentary, the coin rolling off the end portion 12 of the arm and continuing its descent into a suitable coin receptacle. When the coin has passed the arm portion 12, the spring 19 is operative to effect restoration of the member 64 to normal position.v The member 84 will then commence its reverse or return movement and the pawl 50 will be caused by its spring 58 to again engage one of the ratchet teeth 29 to hold the ratchet wheel againsty further movement. The extent of movement permitted the detent 15 by the stops 11 and 18 is, in this instance, so proportioned that the ratchet wheel will be permitted to move the distance of two teeth.

The function of the ear 88 and pin 8| is to prevent return or clockwise movement of the arm 14 and restoration of the pawl 50 before thel ratchet 22 has moved the full distance of two teeth." This function is accomplished by reason of the fact that the detent 15 begins to rock about its pivot 16 under the iniiuene of the ratchet 22 whereby the ear 80 moves upwardly (from the dotted line position shown in Figure 5) to a position in front of the pin 9| as distinguished from in back of the pin as shown in Figure 4. Under normal operating conditions the ear 80 should not actually engage the pin 8| but in the event that the coin leaves the trip lever portion 12 with unusual speed or if for any other reason the lever 14 is permitted or caused to commence its return movement too quickly, the ear 80' will engagethe pin 8| and thus prevent such return movement. The detent 15 will continue to be rocked, however. by the force of the moving ratchet 22 until the ear 80 passes the pin 8| or reaches a position substantially as shown in full lines in Figure 5, whereupon the lever 14 may be permitted to return to its initial position, thereby to permit the pawl 50 to again engage and stop the movement of the ratchet 22. The arrangement is such that the ratchet 22 must move to substantially the full extent of two teeth in order to cause the detent ear 80 to pass the pin 8| so as to permit said ear to move laterally over the pin incident to the return movement of the lever 14. The pin`8| is of such short length that it does not lie in the plane of movement of the detentl arm 15. The path of movement of the 'ear 80 is from the Figure 4 position downwardly to the dotted line position of Figure 5, upwardly, over and downwardly past the pin to the Figure 4 position.

The ratchet-controlling mechanism associated with the coin chute Q is best shown in Figures '7,

v8 and 9. It includes a three armed member 83 pivoted as indicated at 84 on the frame plate l0. -One of its arms 85 has an ear portion 86 extending under the pawl 50'so as to be adapted to lift the pawl upwardly when the member 83 is suitably rocked. Another arm 81 extends beneath an ear 88 of an arm 89 which is pivoted as indicated at 90 on the frame plate I0. The arm 89 has an end portion 9| extending through suitable slots in the frame plate l0 and cover plate I2 so as to traverse the coin chute Q. A coin descending in the chute Q engages the arm portion 9| and causes downward rocking thereof to thereby impart downward rocking movement to the arm 81 and upward movement of the arm 85. The thirdA arm 92 of the member 83 is provided with an ear portion 93 which extends across the outer edge of an arcuate guide lever 94, the

latter being vpivoted as indicated at 95 on a portion of the frame plate |0.

The guide member 94 is adapted to control the position of a pawl 96 which is pivoted as indicated at 91 on an arm 98, the latter being in turn pivoted as indicated at 99 on the frame plate I0. A spring |00 stretched between a suitable point of the arm 98 and a fixed point in the frame plate I0 serves to normally hold the pivoted arm 98 in an elevated position against an abutment |0| carried by the frame plate I0. The pawl 96 is formed with an ear |02 which is adapted to be engaged by the teeth of the ratchet wheel and which is also engaged by the inner edge of the arcuate guide member 94. The pawl is also formed so as to provide a weight |03 which serves to cause the pawl to tend to rock in such direction that the ear |02 thereof will swing away from the ratchetl wheel teeth.

When a coin is deposited in the coin chute Q, the pawl 50 will be swung upwardly so as to releasel the ratchet wheel 22 and at the same time the guide member 94 will be moved toward the ratchet wheel so as to thereby rock the pawl or detent 96 on its pivot 91 to cause its ear |02 to .move into the path of travel of the ratchet wheel teeth. The arrangement is such that the ear |02 is moving into the path of travel of the ratchet Vwheel teeth before the ratchet wheel is fully released. The'ratchet wheel will, upon its release, engage the ear |02 and thereby swing the pawl 96 and arm 98 about the pivot mounting 99 of the arm 98. The extent of Amovement available to the arm 98 under the power of the ratchet wheel 22 may be determined by a stop screw |04 which may be positioned in any one of a series of tapped holes |05 provided in the frame plate I0., As shown in Figure '1, the stop screw |04 is so positioned that it will permit' the arm 98 to swing to the extent required `for the travel of i'lve teeth of the ratchet past a given point. By the time the arm 98 reaches its limit of movement as determined by the stop screw |04, the coin will, of course, be past the end portion 9| of the operating arm 89-so that the spring 13 will be operative to restore the parts to normal position and permit the pawl 50 to re-engage the ratchet wheel. The spring 18 is in this instance the one which also controls the three armed member 64 which is relatively stationary when the three armed member 83 is being operated.

When the described control mechanism is employed for controlling an automatic phonograph mechanism, the electric switch is connected in the circuit of an electric motor which operates the phonograph. When the phonograph is inoperative, the arm 34 occupies the position indicated in Figure 1, where it is held by the spring 41 with the stop 48 against the stop 49, the latter being carried by the ratchet wheel 22. In that position of the arm 24. the electric switch 40 is in oil or circuit-breaking position. When a coin is deposited, for example, in the chute N, for the purpose of causing the playing of one selection, the three armed member I4 is actuated to release the ratchet wheel for movement to the extent of the travel of one tooth past the pawl l0. Such movement of the ratchet wheel is sufficient to move the stop pin 49 carried thereby from over the stop 48 of the arm 34, which permits the spring 41 to rock the arm 34 upwardly and thereby incidentally adjusting the switch 40 to on or circuit-making position. Upon completion of the playing of the record, mechanism here typified by the crank pin 48 engages the arm portion 42 to rock the lever 24 in the reverse direction against the tension of the spring 41. Upon downward movement of the lever 34, the pawl pin 3| carried by the ringer 32 will engage the tooth marked 29a in Figure 1 and return the ratchet wheel to its initial or original position. The extent of movement imparted to the arm 34 by the crank pin is, of course, made sufiicient to impart the necessary reverse travel to the ratchet wheel to return it to its original position in which its stop pin 49 will again overlie the stop member 4l of the arm. When the crank pin 4B disengages the arm portion 42, the spring 41 will, oi. course, tend to swing the arm I4 upwardly again, but such movement will, oi' course, be terminated by the stop pin 49 as indicated. When the lever 34 was rocked downwardly its arm 3l also adjusted the switch to off position so as to stop the operation of the phonograph mechanism.

In the event that a coin is deposited in the chute D, which may be here contemplated as providing for the successive playing of two selections, the pawl-actuating mechanism shown in Figures 4 and 5 is operated to permit the ratchet wheel to move the distance of two of its teeth. Upon the completion o! the playing oi the ilrst selection, the crank pin 4l will cause the lever 24 to move downwardly so that the pawl pin 3i engages the tooth marked 29h in Figure 1, thereby to turn the ratchet wheel in the reverse direction. The extent of movement imparted to the lever 24 is only sufficient to move the ratchet wheel rearwardly the distance oi one tooth. Upon the rearward movement of the ratchet wheel 22, the pawl rides upwardly on the inclined side oi the tooth and drops behind the vertical or radial side without causing movement of any of the other mechanisms shown. This is, of course, permitted by the arrangement of the pawl 50 wholly independent and separate from the other mechanisms. When the crank pin 48 leaves the arm 42\ of the lever 34 after the playing of the first record, the spring 41 will return the lever 34 to its elevated position as shown in dotted lines in Figure 6 wherein the switch 40 is again restored to on position so as to cause the phonograph mechanism to continue to operate. It will, of course, be understood that since the ratchet wheel 22 was initially advanced two teeth and is returned only l the distance or one tooth after playing of the ilrst record, the stop pin 49 will not have been returned to operative position after the playing of only one selection. When the playing of the second selection is completed, the lever 34 will again be operated, and restore the ratchet wheel 22 to its original position as shown in Figure l so that the stop pin 49 will again be operative to limit the upward movement of the lever 34 to thereby prevent the adjustment of the switch 40 l to on position. Hence the phonograph mechanism will be rendered inoperative upon the playing of the second selection.

In the event that a coin is deposited. in the coin chute Q, the pawl-actuating mechanism shown in Figures 'I and 8 will, o! course, be operated to permit the ratchet wheel 22 to advance the distance oi' five teeth. Each time a selection is completed, the ratchet wheel will be restored to the extent of one tooth and the operation is repeated tive times until the stop pin 4l is again returned to its operative relation to the stop 48 of the lever 24. The notch 2l provided in the ratchet wheel is located so that when the stop pin 49 is in operative engagement with the stop 4l, the lever 24 may bemoved downwardly without actuating the ratchet wheel. It w111 be observed that the pawl pin Il will travel idly in the slot 30. Hence, unauthorized manipulation of the mechanism is hampered.

In the arrangement as shown and described, the mechanism is adjusted so that when a coin is deposited in the coin chute Q, a series ot five selections would be played successively. For some purposes it may be desirable to promote the playing of large numbers of records in which circumstance it may be found advantageous to offer the patron an inducement of one free selection for each coin deposited in the coin chute Q. By moving the stop screw |04 to the hole Hita at the end of the row, the toothed wheel 22 would be permitted to move the distance o! six teeth, thereby providing for the successive operation of the phonograph or the playing successively of six records. Similarly, in some instances it may be feasible to adjust the mechanism to provide for the playing of only three selections for each coin deposited in the coin chute Q. In such a case the stop screw |04 would be moved to the tapped opening designated lilb where the screw would permit movement of the ratchet wheel to the extent necessary for successively playing three selections.

Obviously, either of the three pawl-controlling mechanisms may be used alone where the indicated range of selection is not desired. For example, the coin chutes D and Q might be used together with their respective pawl-controlling mechanisms for operating an automatic phonograph or other mechanism once for each coin deposited in the chute D and three times for each coin deposited in the chute Q. The described and illustrated arrangement is, however, one which will be most commonly used for controlling automatic phonograph mechanisms.

In the described arrangement, enough coins may be inserted. one immediately after the other, to cause the ratchet wheel 22 to travel almost one complete turn. i. e., until its stop pin 21 engages the other side of the stationary stop pin 2l. In the construction illustrated, the ratchet embodies thirty-two teeth, but because oi the travel space lost due to the thicknem of the stop pin 2l, only thirty operative steps of the ratchet are available although all oi the teeth are employed in the operation oi' the mechanism in connection with the various pawls which operate on the ratchet wheel.

I claim:

l. In a control mechanism of the class described, the combination of a movable toothed member, means urging said toothed member to `move in a predetermined direction, a pawl for holding said toothed member against said movement, a pawl-actuating member independent of said pawl and having a portion adapted to effect disengagement of said pawl from said toothed member, a detent mounted so as to be movable by I"said toothed member and so as to be movable into and out of engagement therewith, movable guide means for normally supporting said detent in position free of engagement with said toothed member, means constituting part of said pawlactuating member for sluiting said movable guide member to adjust said detent into position for engagement by said toothed member when said pawl is disengaged therefrom whereby lsaid detent is adapted to be moved by said toothed member, means for limiting the extent to which said detent may be so moved, and means for eiecting return movement of said detent and pawl-actuating member to initial position.

2. In a control mechanism of the class described, the combination of a movable toothed member, means urging said toothed member to move in a predetermined direction, a pawl for holding said toothed member against said movement, a pawl-actuating member independent of said pawl and having a portion adapted to effect disengagement of said pawl from said toothed member, a detent mounted so as to be movable by said toothed member and so as to be movable into and out of engagement therewith, movable guide means for normally supporting said detent in position free of engagement with said toothed member, means constituting a part of said pawlactuating member for shifting said movable guide member to adjust said detent into position for engagement by said toothed member when said pawl lis disengaged therefrom whereby said detenty is adapted to be moved by said toothed member, adjustable means for limiting the extent to which said detent may be so moved, and means for eifecting return movement of said detent and pawl-actuating member to initial position.

3. In a control mechanism of the class described, the combination of a movable toothed member, means urging said toothed member to move in a predetermined direction, a pawl for holding said toothed member against said movement, a pawl-actuating member independent of said pawl and having a portion adapted to effect disengagement of said pawl from said toothed member, an arm mounted so that a portion thereof is movable substantially parallel with the path of movement of the teeth of said toothed member, a detent pivotally mounted on said portion of said arm and normally free of said teeth, a-movable guide member for controlling the position of said detent, means constituting a part of said pawlactuating member for adjusting said guide means when said pawl is disengaged from the toothed member to move said detent into position to be engaged by said toothed member whereby'the latter is operative to effect movement of said detent and arm, means for limiting the extent to which said arm and detent may be. moved by said toothed member, and means for restoring said detent and arm and said pawl-actuating member to initial position.

4. In control mechanism of the class described, the combination of a ratchet wheel, means urgf ing said ratchet wheel to' turn in a predetermined direction, a pawl normally engaging said ratchet- Wheel to hold it against said movement, a pawlactuating member independent of said pawl but having a portion adapted to engage the pawl to effect disengagement thereof from said ratchet wheel, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent the center of rotation of said ratchet wheel so that an outer end portion of said arm is adapted to` travel in an arc approximately concentric with the travel of the teeth of said ratchet wheel, a detent pivotally mounted on said end portion of the arm and normally maintained out of engagement with said ratchet wheel, a detent guide member pivotally mounted for movement toward and from the teeth of said ratchet wheel and operative to eifect movement of said detent into position for engagement by the ratchet wheel so as to cause the latter to effect movement of said arm and detent as an incident to movement of said ratchet wheel when said pawl is disengaged therefrom, means for hunting the travel of said arm and detent so as to thereby limit the extent to which said ratchet wheel may turn when said .pawl is disengaged therefrom, means comprising a part of said pawl-actuating member for controlling said guide member, and means for effecting restoration of Isaid pivoted arm and said pawl-actuating member to initial position.

5. In control mechanism of the class described, the combination of a ratchet wheel, means normally urging said ratchet wheel to turn in a predetermined direction, a pawl engaging said ratchet wheel to hold the same against such turning movement, a. plurality of relatively independent mechanisms independently operable and each operatively associated with said pawl for effecting disengagement thereof from said ratchet wheel to permit turning thereof, said relatively independent mechanisms being respectively adapted to permit diierent extents of-turning of said ratchet wheel, a lever adapted to be actuated by apparatus controlled by said control mechanism for eiecting restoration of said ratchet wheel to initial position tooth by tooth, and stop means carried by said ratchet wheel and adapted to engage said lever for limiting the movement of said lever when said ratchet wheel is restored to initial position, thereby to prevent continued operation of the controlled mechanism.

6. In a control mechanism of the class described, the combination of a movable toothed member, means urging said toothed member to move in a predetermined direction, a pawl for holding said toothed member against said movement, a lever associated with said pawl for effecting disengagement thereof'from said toothed member to permit movement thereof, a movable detent carried by said lever for limiting the extent of movement permitted said toothed member upon actuation of said lever, 'said detent comprising a member pivoted intermediate its ends on said lever and having one end adapted to engage the teeth of said toothed member, and stop means adapted to be engaged by the other end of said 10 said pawl and adapted to be actuated to disengage said pawl from said toothed member to permit movement of the latter, a stop pawl engageable with said toothed member andadapted for movement therewith as an incident to the movement thereof in said predetermined direction,-

and adjustable means adapted to engage said stop pawl for limiting the extent o! movement permitted said stop pawl to thereby limit the extent ot movement of said toothed member.

EMIL C. MUELLER. 

